Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 19 February 2004
163 Mr. Crowe asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the amount spent by his Department on legal advice and lawyers in each of past three years; and the amount paid for legal proceedings against his Department, including cases settled prior to coming to court in each of the past three years, omitting expenses for tribunals of inquiry. [5464/04]
View answerThe information requested by the Deputy is as follows:
|
Year |
Expenditure on Legal Advice and Lawyers |
Amount paid out on Legal Proceedings |
|
€ |
€ |
|
|
2001 |
1,388,149 |
160,837 |
|
2002 |
499,351 |
853,598 |
|
2003 |
834,569 |
190,032 |
164 Mr. Boyle asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the anticipated increases in telephone costs to his Department after recent telephone rental price increases. [5498/04]
View answerThe anticipated increase in such costs is approximately €9,422 per annum, inclusive of VAT.
165 Mr. Crowe asked the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the amount spent by his Department on legal advice and lawyers in each of the past three years; and the amount paid in settlement of legal proceedings against his Department, including cases settled prior to coming to court in each of the past three years, omitting expenses for tribunals of inquiry. [5463/04]
View answerAs a general rule, the legal advice obtained by my Department is given by the Offices of the Attorney General and of the Chief State Solicitor. My Department is not charged for the service and costs are borne directly by the offices.
The National Library of Ireland is a cultural institution attached to my Department. It incurred the following fees in respect of specialist legal advice obtained over the past three years: 2001, €2,892; 2002, €7,278; 2003, €1,093. Since my Department was established in June 2002 there has been only one payment following legal proceedings initiated against the Department. The case was settled prior to going to court and the settlement was €4,350.
Last December my Department paid 33 eligible officers €5,000 each after a successful equality claim by the Civil and Public Service Union for clerical assistant and paperkeeper posts. My Department has since been reimbursed by the Department of Finance.
